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A review by betwixt_the_pages
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
3.0
Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is.
- - - - -
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was reading Twilight again?; pretty slow start; lots of snark, agnst, and teenage drama; aliens...sort of?; fast-paced second half; some pulse-pounding, sexy moments
Anyone else out there find the first ½ of this book annoyingly like Twilight? No? Just me? Well.
So don't get me wrong—this wasn't what I'd call a bad read. But when I started this the other day, I guess I was expecting something a bit more...unexpected. I feel like this was Twilight rewritten with aliens (although their sense of “alienness” is something I found lacking overall)...and I'm not sure it worked for me in the end.
Let me get into the specifics. The characters are well-rounded. It's clear from the get-go that Katy isn't your “average” teenager (though what IS average, really?) Daemon I loathed immediately—with his attitude, who wouldn't? But none of them really stood out to me, to be honest—they were all thrust into their roles, but given no space to really breathe. They didn't go above and beyond; they didn't really tug at my heart or knock me on my butt. They were like actors who'd lost passion for their craft—some witty lines, some epic banter, but overall flat.
The action, as well, was pretty run-of-the-mill. Despite a few weird blips on the supernatural radar, the beginning of this book was just like every other YA read I've come across lately: the unusual new kid (a “bright and shiny new toy” for the rest of town); a hyper, instant best friend; a few prickly bullies; and one sexy guy the protag knows she couldn't possibly have...yet wants anyway. Yawn, yawn, and double yawn.
It wasn't until about the 60% mark things began getting interesting—and straying away from the heavy Twilight influence. The last few chapters of this book were pretty awesome, in fact! Fast-paced with action, some intriguing and different ideas at play, a few twists and turns I hadn't expected. If the first part of this had relied more on the story to tell the story, instead of fulfilling the “average teenage love story—with ALIENS!” vibe, this probably would have gotten a higher rating from me honestly; the second part of this was more what I was looking for when I picked up this read.
The plot isn't bad, overall—besides a slow start, things pick up pace and kept me enthralled enough to want to see what happened next. There's a twinge of paranormal mystery throughout. In fact, after the halfway mark, even the characters seem like totally different people. The dialogue wasn't as heavy-handed, forced, or awkward; the characters were more believable and realistic in their actions/reactions. I finally started feeling something other than frustration for them. Too bad it came a bit late in the story.
I don't know if this just wasn't the right book for me, or if the timing was off, or if the heavy Twilight influence is what caused the scrupples...but I didn't like this as much as I hoped I would. I'd still recommend to lovers of sci fi/fantasy, aliens, and the paranormal—the characters are snarky and quirky once you get past the awkward. So someone tell me: how's book two? If it's better than this one, there might be hope for this series with me yet.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring… until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.
And then he opened his mouth.
Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something… unexpected happens.
The hot alien living next door marks me.
You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don’t kill him first, that is.
- - - - -
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Quick Reasons: I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was reading Twilight again?; pretty slow start; lots of snark, agnst, and teenage drama; aliens...sort of?; fast-paced second half; some pulse-pounding, sexy moments
Anyone else out there find the first ½ of this book annoyingly like Twilight? No? Just me? Well.
So don't get me wrong—this wasn't what I'd call a bad read. But when I started this the other day, I guess I was expecting something a bit more...unexpected. I feel like this was Twilight rewritten with aliens (although their sense of “alienness” is something I found lacking overall)...and I'm not sure it worked for me in the end.
“You don't look like an alien!' It seemed important to point that out.
He arched a brow. 'And what do aliens look like?'
'Not...not like you,' I sputtered. 'They aren't gorgeous--'
'You think I'm gorgeous?' He smiled.
Let me get into the specifics. The characters are well-rounded. It's clear from the get-go that Katy isn't your “average” teenager (though what IS average, really?) Daemon I loathed immediately—with his attitude, who wouldn't? But none of them really stood out to me, to be honest—they were all thrust into their roles, but given no space to really breathe. They didn't go above and beyond; they didn't really tug at my heart or knock me on my butt. They were like actors who'd lost passion for their craft—some witty lines, some epic banter, but overall flat.
The action, as well, was pretty run-of-the-mill. Despite a few weird blips on the supernatural radar, the beginning of this book was just like every other YA read I've come across lately: the unusual new kid (a “bright and shiny new toy” for the rest of town); a hyper, instant best friend; a few prickly bullies; and one sexy guy the protag knows she couldn't possibly have...yet wants anyway. Yawn, yawn, and double yawn.
“Doesn’t he own a shirt?” I asked, grabbing a spade.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think so. Not even in the winter. He’s always running around half-dressed.” She groaned. “Its disturbing that I have to see so much of his…skin. Yuck.” Yuck for her. And hot damn for me.
It wasn't until about the 60% mark things began getting interesting—and straying away from the heavy Twilight influence. The last few chapters of this book were pretty awesome, in fact! Fast-paced with action, some intriguing and different ideas at play, a few twists and turns I hadn't expected. If the first part of this had relied more on the story to tell the story, instead of fulfilling the “average teenage love story—with ALIENS!” vibe, this probably would have gotten a higher rating from me honestly; the second part of this was more what I was looking for when I picked up this read.
The plot isn't bad, overall—besides a slow start, things pick up pace and kept me enthralled enough to want to see what happened next. There's a twinge of paranormal mystery throughout. In fact, after the halfway mark, even the characters seem like totally different people. The dialogue wasn't as heavy-handed, forced, or awkward; the characters were more believable and realistic in their actions/reactions. I finally started feeling something other than frustration for them. Too bad it came a bit late in the story.
“Is this what you do with your spare time?” he asked me, ignoring his sister.
“What—are you deciding to talk to me now?” Smiling tightly, I grabbed a handful of mulch and dumped it. Rinse and repeat. “Yeah, it’s kind of a hobby. What’s yours? Kicking puppies?”
I don't know if this just wasn't the right book for me, or if the timing was off, or if the heavy Twilight influence is what caused the scrupples...but I didn't like this as much as I hoped I would. I'd still recommend to lovers of sci fi/fantasy, aliens, and the paranormal—the characters are snarky and quirky once you get past the awkward. So someone tell me: how's book two? If it's better than this one, there might be hope for this series with me yet.